[Aurel]

My job would not be definded as soul crushing on the paper: research professor, with complete freedom of researching anything I want. Sounds pretty cool huh? The catch is that there is no salary coming with that job. I am responsible for finding that too. This is the part that crushes my soul with stress. First I need to compete to get grants, then I need to execute the research, being my own tech, then report on the research while preparing the next grant. The goal is to grow this thing enough so that I can get help paying students doing the actual work. Nobody to report to else than an accountant who tells me if there is enough money left to pay my salary on the account. I am meeting with investors next week. Hope it goes well. If not, I may seriously look for a more stable job (if such thing still exists). It is great to be an entrepreneur and do your own thing, but it is also very lonely and stressful. It may not be the right thing for me. Sure I am not flipping burgers and make a very good living, but I am not too happy at it.

Aurel